


Allison Riverwood and the World of Magic

by HinataElyonToph



Series: Allison Riverwood [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ally is a precious cinnamon roll too good for this world, Alternate Universe - Book/Movie Fusion, Gen, Maybe - Freeform, Most definitely, Original Character-centric, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Set in Sorcerer's Stone, Tags Are Fun, Tags Are Hard, The Golden Trio Era, her time at Hogwarts, i took one of the tests and so far she's not, im a sassy bitch so yes, im gonna try hard to make sure she's not a Mary Sue, im hoping to keep her that way, muggleborn witch as the main protagonist, or Philosopher's Stone if you're not in America, probably, rating will go up as the series progresses, slice of life fic, why we changed the title I'll never fucking know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 16:30:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7625833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HinataElyonToph/pseuds/HinataElyonToph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allison Riverwood was quite certain that something was wrong with her. Strange, unexplained things happened around her. As a result, she had no friends and was a constant target for bullies. She was tired of it, and she wanted answers. Although, never did she imagine her answers would come in the form of an acceptance letter to a school of magic. Then again, stranger things have been known to happen.</p><p>This is the story of a Muggleborn witch and her time at Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Definitely Not Normal

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try my hand at writing a largely OC centered fic, with like little cameos by the golden trio here and there. We'll see how this goes XD
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ally's feelings about this "bad luck" that follows her and everyone's treatment of her because of it reaches the boiling point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

> _"Sometimes, being different feels a lot like being alone. But with that being said, being true to that and being true to my standards and my way of doing things in my art and my music, everything that has made me feel very different... in the end, it has made me the happiest."_ **_-Lindsey Stirling_ **  
> 

* * *

She was weird, they said. She was bad luck, they said. She was cursed, they said. Ask anyone at Green Meadows Primary School and they would tell you that Allison Riverwood was not normal.

It wasn’t because of her appearance, thank goodness. She was a few inches shy of five feet tall and had a little more weight than some of the girls her age. She had a round face covered in freckles, impossibly curly brown hair, and big, curious blue-grey eyes that were hidden behind rectangular glasses, which always seemed to be sliding down her nose. She was already insecure about how she looked, and didn’t think she could bear it if they started comparing her to a beached whale or some other nonsense like that. Why, then, would they say these rude remarks about a fellow classmate?

Because she made things happen.

Strange things.

Once, the classroom’s pull-down maps pulled themselves down, as though an invisible someone was unraveling them for use. Another time, the drinking fountain seemed to be actively targeting students to squirt them in the eyeballs. Another time, a boy’s pencil literally wet-noodled in his hand, rendering him unable to use it. And the overhead lights in the cafeteria seemed to change into a vast gradient of colors. And what did all of these occurrences have in common? The fact that Allison Riverwood was always present whenever they happened. No exceptions. Everything happened only when she was in the room.

Of course, they were not the only ones aware of this unexplainable phenomenon. Ally Riverwood herself had knowledge of these happenings and, quite honestly, she was getting tired of it.

She sighed to herself for the fifth time that day, fogging up the glass of her window with her breath. Outside it was a near torrential downpour. Thunder cracked through the sky and lightning lit up the clouds like giant, white-colored fireflies that came out in the summer evenings. The rain thudded hard against the roof above her, distracting her every few minutes with its pounding beat. She sighed again, this time in frustration. She was trying to think, and the loud noise of the storm and the gloominess it represented was not helping at all.

She leaned back to rest against the wall, attempting to stretch her legs out as much as her window seat would allow; almost all the way it seemed. One of the perks of being short, she guessed.

The school year had finished and the summer holidays were in full swing, but Allison found she couldn’t really enjoy them as much as she would like to. The last year had ended so badly that she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Somehow, in the midst of being picked on by a group of boys in her class, she had managed to make all the windows in the hallway explode, which sent shards of glass flying everywhere and landing some people with a trip to the nurse’s office. This earned her, on the other hand, a trip to the headmaster’s office. The man was red-faced and viciously interrogating her on how she managed to break fifteen windows simultaneously. Allison didn’t know what to say; she couldn’t tell him that she can’t explain how she _couldn’t_ explain how she managed to do it. And even if she did, she highly doubted he would believe her. Her lack of answers only made the man angrier, and he threatened to fail her or expel her and make her mother pay for new windows.

Luckily Ms. Soto, her homeroom teacher, came to defend her and rescue her from the wrath of the headmaster before she could burst into tears. The brunette-haired woman somehow convinced the Headmaster not to force the window bill upon Mrs. Riverwood, and to let her off with only a stern warning. The almost 30-year-old brought her back to the classroom after the rest of the student body had gone. She had then offered Allison a ride home, which she accepted, for fear of some remaining students jumping her where the teacher wouldn’t be around to intervene. She sensed that was the intention front the start, anyway. And even on the way home, Ms. Soto stopped to buy Allison an ice cream cone, which cheered the girl right up.

Allison owed a lot to Ms. Soto for sticking up for her each and every time something unusual had gone awry. She often felt she needed to pay her back in some way, but every time she tried, the teacher kindly and politely refused, saying that she did it because she wanted to, and that she knew Allison had no real control over any of the mishaps.

The only problem was next year, when she would no longer be going to Green Meadows. She would instead be going to South Fork Secondary, clear on the other side of town. Which meant that Ms. Soto would no longer be around to protect her the next time an incident occurred. And she was 100% sure that she would resume her position as the school freak on the first day. _Again._

Her downward spiral of depressing thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her mother’s voice.

“Ally! Dinner’s ready!” she called.

Ally breathed in deeply and stretched, trying to clear her mind and expression of her dilemma. She didn’t want to worry her mother with it. Not when her mother already had a lot to worry about.

When she arrived downstairs, the smell of pasta and garlic bread entered her nose and made her feel a little better, and they were some of her favorite things to eat. She entered the kitchen to find the plates, silverware, and cups stacked on the far edge of the table, and her mother at the stove. Their pet dog, a light colored golden retriever named Calypso, sat next to her on the floor, her flowing tail swishing around on the floor like a feather duster came to life, hoping that something will be dropped that she can eat.

“Ally, honey, can you set the table for me?” The older woman jerked slightly and slowly pivoted to the left, gripping tightly to the red walker at her side to start inching her way towards the refridgerator.

“Sure, Mom.” Ally did as she was asked without question. She picked up the plates and silverware and placed them in their usual dining spots adjacent from each other. She then placed the cups catty cornered from the plates, and then moved around the table opposite her mother to the stove.

It wasn’t long after that when they sat down to eat. Calypso took up her usual place lying under the table, not begging for scraps as she was trained. Ally stood behind her mother’s chair as the woman struggled to get comfortable enough for her to push it in. She had to really work to make her knees bend in order for her to sit down.

Diana Riverwood-or Diana Murray as she went by now, which was her maiden name-had a more difficult time getting around and doing things than most people her age. She had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years back, when Ally was just six, and it made living life normally very hard on both her and on her daughter. This meant Ally had to do a good number of extra chores around the house since her mother couldn’t anymore. Ally didn’t mind, of course. If she could do anything to make life easier for her poor mother, then the extra work was worth it. And her mother made sure to show her appreciation with a gift of a new book or sketchpad or even taking her to the movies on a weekend. It wasn’t without hardships, or course, but the new arrangement had been beneficial to the both of them.

Dinner at the Riverwood household was delicious as always, but Ally couldn’t keep her mind from wandering back to her little problem. She needed to find a way to suppress it somehow. She would like to be able to meet some new friends at her new school, and it was always her “condition” that made it nearly impossible.  The only thing was, she had no idea how she would do it. They happened sporadically, virtually unpredictable in every sense of the word. But, she noticed that they happened every time her emotions spiked and got the better of her. But she didn’t think she could become emotionless, at least not on the spot. It would look too suspicious, and it would only worry her mother-

“Darling, is something the matter? You’ve hardly touched your food.” Her mother paused and looked at her daughter, concern written in her tired hazel eyes.

Ally felt a little startled. She had realized that she had been staring off into space, her fork stopped in mid twirl of her spaghetti. Guilt washed through her, and she quickly resumed eating as if nothing was the matter.

“No, nothing’s wrong, Mom. I’m fine.” She lied, the guilt sinking in even further at the act of lying to her mother. “Just a little spacey today.”

This part wasn’t exactly a lie, but she couldn’t let her mother know that. Rule number one of the strange phenomena: Don’t worry Mom. She had enough on her plate with her MS and for being the primary breadwinner of the household.

Mrs. Riverwood worked in an office at a part stamping company for cars. It was really the only thing she could do anymore with her legs not working as they used to, and her hands were a bit less coordinated as well. Ally’s father, Grant Riverwood, had been part of the income-making once. He had worked at a steel company, on the floor. But that seemed like a long time in the past now. He had also had a slight drinking problem, and it came back to bite him in the butt about two years ago. He passed away suddenly one night when Ally was at her grandmother’s, the cause turning out to be liver cancer, among other things.

Ally also knew that her mother already worried about her growing up without her dad. And she was also depressed as a result of her MS. She didn’t want to add to those worries and make her mother’s depression worse.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Riverwood was as much sharp as she was kind, and Ally found she could not pull the wool over her mother’s eyes. “Sweetheart, you don’t usually stare into space like this, especially on pasta night. Are you sure there isn’t anything wrong?”

“No, Mom. I’m okay, really.” The fact that she couldn’t fool her mother didn’t mean that she couldn’t try. A foolish thing to do, really, but she didn’t know that at the time. “Just have some things on my mind.”

Shoot. She shouldn’t have said that. Now it was just going to make things more awkward.

“What kind of things?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, I promise.”

“Well when you look off into the clouds with that horribly sad and worried look on your face, I get uneasy. Tell me what’s troubling you, sweetheart. You can talk to me.”

Ally was starting to feel frustrated. Her mother was just not going to let it alone, was she? She supposed it was the Murray family stubbornness shining through, along with her mother’s caring and maternal nature. However, Ally needed to get her off the case, for her sake.

Mrs. Riverwood started to get stern at this point. Her daughter was hiding something that seemed bad and she wanted to know what it was. She hated seeing Ally upset, and she wanted her girl to put trust in her that she could talk about anything she needed. She was also, if this wasn’t obvious by now, fiercely protective when it came to Ally. The girl was her only child, after all.

“Allison Claire Riverwood, tell me what’s wrong. Now.” She commanded, her lips tightening to show that she was serious, fixing Ally with a piercing stare.

“I’m telling you, Mom, I’m fine-“

CRASH!

Out of nowhere, the vase in the far corner of the kitchen spontaneously exploded. Ally screamed, and her mother gasped aloud, stunned and almost flopping out of her chair. Calypso yelped and scurried quickly from under the table, fleeing into the living room to hide in her safe spot under the coffee table. The pieces of ceramic didn’t go too far, but they did make a mess on the floor, mixing in with the water and dirt and shreds of flowers that now lay in a disgusting pile on the side table where the vase once stood.

“My vase!” her mother cried, still shocked at what she had just seen.

Ally, on the other hand, had a look of pure horror on her face as her brain tried to process what had just happened. Her problem had manifested. Again. It had happened in front of her mother. Again. And she just somehow managed to break her mother’s favorite vase, the one that her father had given her on their last anniversary while he was still living.

“Ally, are you okay? Did any of the glass hit you?” Mrs. Riverwood looked worriedly at her daughter, who had gone ashen-ly pale as she stared wide-eyed at the dirtied corner.

Her mother’s voice was far away. Ally felt her heart drop to her stomach, and her breathing quickened. Her mind was going a mile a minute, her eyes stung with hot, frightened tears that quickly slipped down her face in big, fat drops.

She tried to make sure her mother didn’t see her crying, but again, almost nothing could get past Diana Murray Riverwood. “Ally, what’s wrong, dearheart? Why are you crying?” she asked gently, placing a small, worn hand on her daughter’s. Her thumb rubbed comfortingly against Ally’s skin. “It’s okay, talk to me.”

“I-I-I’m sorry, Mom!” The dam broke and Ally’s shoulders shook as she sobbed and trembled in fear. “I-I didn’t mean to b-break your vase…” she moaned despondently.

Her mother tilted her head and fixed her with a gentle, soothing expression. “Oh, honey, you don’t need to apologize. It wasn’t your fault-“

“Yes i-it was!” Ally wailed, burying her face in her hands. “It was all m-my fault! This b-bad luck won’t st-stop following me! I’m…..I……I’m…..I’m _cursed_!”

“Sweetheart, you’re not cursed-“

“Yes I am!” she screamed.

Her mother continued to calmly stroke her hand and said nothing, having been rendered speechless by her outburst, so she went on. “I h-have to be cursed! It’s not a coincidence that all these weird th-things keep happening whenever _I’m_ in the room! I c-can’t have any friends because they all think I’m the devil reincarnated or something! They all b-bully me ‘cause they think I do it on purpose, but I don’t! They say I’m like the Anti-Christ! I-It would be better off if-”

“Allison Claire Riverwood, that’s enough!” her mother shouted suddenly, looking surprisingly angry despite having a gentle and yet concerned face only moments before. Ally stopped her weeping at her mother’s outburst and just stared at her in shock, her eyes wide, the tears still dripping down her flushed and freckly cheeks.

Mrs. Riverwood took her daughter’s hand in hers and squeezed it, getting Ally’s attention and looking straight into her blue-gray eyes. Oh how a pang of sadness swept through her, both from the pain Ally was going through with this whatever it was and the fact that every time she looked into her daughter’s eyes, all she could see was her late husband staring back at her. She batted the thought away and stared Ally down sternly.

“I don’t ever want to hear you say those things or finish that last sentence ever again, are we clear?” Ally blinked several times, still flabbergasted at her mother’s behavior. She couldn’t find it in herself to speak or work her mouth properly. She just nodded instead.

Her mother’s face warped back into the anguished, caring, and gentle face it had been moments before. “Listen to me, dearheart. You are not the devil reincarnated; you are not the Anti-Christ; and you should not listen to the nasty things other people say to you when they don’t even try to understand the real you, alright?”

Ally said nothing. Hearing the clicking on the linoleum of the kitchen floor, Ally saw that Calypso had cautiously made her way back into the kitchen. The dog’s ears perked up at her sniffling and immediately trotted over to rest her head on Ally’s lap, staring up at her with her huge, brown doe eyes. She placed her other hand on top of their clasped ones. “Do you know what I see in front of me?”

Ally shook her head slowly, the tears slowing but still falling. A freak, a monster; her mind was listing all negative words to describe herself. Her lip trembled.

 Her mother smiled lovingly. Her voice was husky and comforting, and it reminded Ally of the nights when she was little and she had woken from a nightmare; her mother would rush into the room and cuddle her in her arms, whispering that she was there, that she would protect her, and that nothing would hurt her, using that same light and soothing tone. Fast forward to now, and her mother’s worn face still held the same sense of security as it did back then. “I see a special, talented, kindhearted, and gorgeous young girl, who would never hurt a fly even if she wanted to. And I know she would never want to.”

Ally sniffed and rubbed the tears from her eyes.

“Feel better?” the older woman asked quietly.

“…a little, I guess.” Ally did feel as though the weight lodged in her chest had lightened somewhat. It was still there, but hey, it was progress, right?

“Good.” Her mother opened her arms as an invitation, and Ally didn’t miss the chance to run into them for a hug, which made Calypso retreat back under the table. Mrs. Riverwood rubbed at her shoulders and back, and placed a tender kiss on her forehead before combing through her curly hair.

“I love you, Ally. You are my whole world, and I hate to see you so upset.” Her mother managed to rock them back and forth slowly, which always helped calm Ally down when she was in one of her moods. “I know you try not to make me worried, but that’s what I’m here for, love. You can tell me anything that’s bothering you and I’ll listen, okay?”

Ally sniffed again, and this time she replied with a quiet “Okay. Love you, too,” against her mother’s shirt.

“That’s my girl.”

They settled back down to dinner. A good portion of the food had gone a little cold, but they still ate it anyway. Ally didn’t feel as spaced out and afraid as she had before, so she was more open to talk to her mother about anything and everything.

The topic was back on the supposed bad luck that followed her everywhere, but this time it was just out of genuine curiosity. She had to admit there were times that it wasn’t so bad; times when it was just her around to witness. Once, when she had walked in front of old Mrs. Langston’s yard one Saturday morning on the way to the grocer’s, the young buds in her garden suddenly bloomed into large, beautiful flowers as she passed. One day it began to rain heavily as she was walking home from school, and she was caught without an umbrella. However, her clothes and hair had somehow stayed perfectly dry all the way home. And then a month ago her mother had basically demanded that she clean her room, a chore that she greatly despised no matter how small the mess was. Yet when she opened her bedroom door after grudgingly tromping up the stairs, the room was spotless and all her possessions had been mysteriously organized.

“What do you think it is, Mom?” Ally asked through a mouthful of garlic bread.

“I’m not entirely sure, love.” Her mother shrugged before picking up her glass and taking a long sip of her water.

“D’you think we’ll ever figure out what’s causing it?”

“Oh, I think so. Everything in the world happens for a reason, don’t forget. We should see this reason sometime in the future-“

Of course, nothing prepared either Ally or her mother for what came next. A strange, bird-like  squawk sounded near the kitchen window. Footsteps on the pathway got louder and louder, and the two of them stopped their conversation dead in its tracks.

And then the doorbell rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few facts about Ally's family and where the inspiration came from:
> 
> -Ally's mother is based on my real life mother. She has Multiple Sclerosis, and has had it since I was seven (I think). All of Ally's feelings about her disease and all her worries are what I go through every day. My mom doesn't deserve the hand she's been given, but she keeps her head high and doesn't let it stop her. That's what I admire most about her, so I wanted to honor that here.
> 
> -Ally's father is based on my real life father. My dad died when I was 10 years old from liver cancer. He didn't abuse me or my mom. He wasn't violent at all. Actually, I could never tell when he was drunk. He only drank beer tho, and that apparently has a low alcohol level. But he constantly drank it, and it eventually caught up to him. Not a day goes by where I don't miss him or think about him, so I also wanted to contribute to his memory.


	2. Truths Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Riverwood household gets some unexpected visitors, with even more unexpected news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh I'm so sorry this took so long. I'd been stuck on this chapter for months, and it was originally a lot longer, but I figured out I was getting nowhere with how it was so I split it up. The second half is now Chapter 3!
> 
> Again, any comments or ways I can improve this story are greatly appreciated! I'd love to hear feedback on this!
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

* * *

> _"Whatever satisfies the soul is truth." **-Walt Whitman**_

* * *

Knowing that someone was at the door, Calypso whipped out from her hiding spot again and trotted quickly to the door, tail wagging and barking loudly. Ally turned her gaze from the hallway to her mother and back again. She wasn’t sure what to say to break up the suddenly tense atmosphere; she wasn’t expecting anyone this evening, and judging by the confused look on her mother’s face, she wasn’t either. And she would figure that it would be a bit too late for any normal visitor, wouldn’t it? Nevertheless, her mother gestured with her head as if to say “Are you going to answer the door or not?”

            She stood up and walked briskly to the front door as the doorbell chimed once more.

            DING DONG

“Coming!” She voiced aloud. She left her mother in the kitchen to walk the short distance to the foyer and weasel her way in between the door and her overly curious dog. Calypso whined pitifully, as if to say “You took my spot! I want to greet the new human!”. The poor girl loved meeting new people, so she was eager to check out this unknown person and possibly get lots of attention from them. Ally and her mother often said— jokingly, of course—that if their house would ever get broken into, Calypso would run up to them begging to be petted.

The big dog whined again, apparently affronted that Ally wasn’t going to let her do what she wanted. The girl cast a pointed look in Calypso’s direction. “No, Calypso. I’m pretty sure whoever is here doesn’t wish for you to jump on them.” Ally said.

Calypso huffed, almost as if to say “How dare you accuse me of such actions!” Ally just rolled her eyes.

“Go lay down, Calypso.”

The golden retriever half-whined, half-growled in protest but did as she was told, turning around and padding into the living room once more. “Good girl.” Ally called after her, smiling at the adorableness.

DING DONG

Oh yeah, there was still someone at the door. She should probably get that now.

She unlocked the door and slowly, cautiously opened it to the evening air, not knowing what to expect. Her mind was going a mile a minute, giving her all sorts of horrible possibilities. A man planning to kidnap and/or harm them and rob them? Someone from a mental institution come to take her away? A door-to-door salesman? (She highly doubted this. What sane person would be going door-to-door at this time of night?) With all this in mind, she peered carefully out at the person standing on their doorstep, and never in her wildest dreams would she think of who was actually there.

There were two people standing before her instead of one like she had thought. One was a squat little woman that appeared to be middle aged or slightly older. She had short, wild gray hair and kind eyes. And her hands and the front of her coveralls—or what could be seen of them from under a long, peculiar maroon cloak—seemed to be almost covered in dirt; there was practically an entire garden under her fingernails. The other person was another woman, taller and younger, with long auburn hair and wide brown eyes. She had no such dirt on her clothes, but she was dressed in jeans and an aquamarine cardigan underneath a tan coat, and had a thoroughly soaked and dripping umbrella clutched in one hand. And she looked very familiar.

“Miss Soto!” Ally exclaimed in surprise. The late-twenty-something year old primary school teacher smiled warmly at her former student, and she felt her previous trepidation be replaced with delight. Although she still wasn’t sure who the other woman was; at the moment, though, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Miss Soto seemed to guess her unvoiced question—or maybe it was the glancing at the other woman every few seconds that gave her away—because she spoke up.

“My apologies for showing up without calling, Ally.” Miss Soto attempted to peer behind her as if to gaze into the hallway beyond. “And for being here this late at night. Is your mother home?”

“Yeah, we just got done eating dinner.” The girl nodded quickly.

“Oh, good!” The other woman spoke up cheerfully. She spoke so suddenly that Ally nearly jumped a few inches into the air, startled. Ally turned her attention to the strange woman, and found her looking right back with a smile. “We were hoping to speak with her. To the both of you, actually. Is that alright?”

Ally fought the urge to bite her lip as she thought about it. Her mind drifted to the broken vase that was undoubtedly still leaking mud in the corner of the kitchen, and wondered what they would think if they saw it. She also wondered if her mother would even let them in at this time of night, much less with dirty dinner dishes still sitting on the table.

Nonetheless, Ally turned around to shout for her mother. “Mom! Miss Soto is here. She wants to talk with us.” She called.

There wasn’t a very long pause before a muffled “Yes, Yes, of course, let her in dear.” reached her from the kitchen. Ally was sort of glad. Her mother liked Miss Soto, and was ever so grateful that she had kept an eye on Ally during her time at Green Meadows. However, she was still leery of this other woman, despite her kind-looking appearance. And she still wasn’t even sure what either her or Miss Soto wanted to speak with them about, anyway.

Well, the only way she was going to find out was if she let them in. And her mother had given permission to allow them to enter. So, being the curious ten-year-old she was, she did.

As Miss Soto and the woman were removing their wet shoes on the doormat, Ally trotted back to the kitchen to help clear the dinner dishes off the table and put the kettle on for tea. She set out three mugs, one for each adult, and just refilled her glass from dinner. She wasn going to drink any tea. She didn’t much care for the stuff. It didn’t matter if it was Earl Gray or Oolong, Green or Darjeeling, she just couldn’t bring herself to like it. She often said that it tasted like watered down tree bark or that there was just something missing from it that not even milk or sugar could fix. She'd rather stick to chocolate milk or fizzy drinks if it was all the same to everyone else.

As she was standing on a kitchen chair to reach into the cupboard for the tea tin, she heard her mother greet Miss Soto warmly and begin to make small talk. The primary school teacher asked her how she was getting on with her daily activities and how her job was doing and other small, well-meaning pleasantries. Mrs. Riverwood took the opportunity to loudly and proudly thank her again for “keeping an eye on her little Ally-bear”, and Ally wasn’t sure then that she had ever blushed so much from embarrassment in her entire life.

Soon the kettle was whistling loudly and Ally went about her task as the three older women sat at the table and chatted for a while. Finally, her mother asked the question that she had been too hesitant to ask as she set the freshly brewed teapot—wrapped into a bright, if slightly lopsided, pom-pom tea cozy that she had carefully knitted herself—in the middle of the table. “So what brings you here, Aurelie? You said you needed to discuss something with us?”

Miss Soto nodded and folder her hands together around her mug. She looked to be shifting into full-on teacher mode as she began. “I wanted to discuss the upcoming school year and what it will mean for Ally. I also wanted you to meet one of my…colleagues, I guess you could say now. She teaches at Ally’s new school, and was actually one of my teachers when I was in school.” She flashed a small, knowing smile at her companion.

“Oh!” Mrs. Riverwood cried suddenly at the mention of the other woman. “I’m sorry! How terribly rude of me! I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced, have we?” She looked apologetically at the woman, who only smiled assuringly back at her.

“Not a problem, dear. I believe it is I who should be apologizing, instead. I did come to your house practically uninvited, after all.” The woman seemed to be bubbly and understanding and easily calmed the atmosphere in the room. Ally found herself relaxing the teeniest bit as she filled the woman’s mug next before moving onto her mother, at last feeling relieved to have the tension in her shoulders dissipate.

“I’m Diana Murray,” her mother introduced, a small and thin hand reaching up to stop Ally before she could trek to her seat. The hand rested and squeezed on her shoulder in reassurance. “And this is my daughter, Allison.”

“Hello,” Ally said quietly, waving a little timidly with a tiny, sheepish smile.

“A pleasure to meet you, dear.” The woman smiled back at her. She repeated the sentiment back. She didn’t really know why, but Ally felt herself start to warm up to this new teacher. She was hoping deep down that this woman would be just like Miss Soto and help her get through the upcoming school year without threats of lawsuits and detention.

Miss Soto’s smile was small and light as she attempted to steer them back onto their previous conversation. “As I was saying, it is important for you both to know that—“

“Oh my stars! What happened here?”

Ally’s eyes immediately flew to the woman as she shouted, and they widened in horror when they found her staring directly at the decimated plant in the corner. A quick glance at her mother revealed that her train of thought was on a frighteningly similar path, coupled with a frantic wondering of how in blazes she was going to explain this.

Oh no.

_Oh no._

Ally wondered this as well, and she bit her lip as she wracked her brain for a good cover-up. Had it just suddenly fallen apart? No, that was completely silly. Nothing just _fell apart_ without warning. An earthquake maybe? Of course not, Ally! Most earthquakes that happened around here were too small to be felt, and on those rare occasions that you could feel them, then more than just one vase would have been broken.

But what could she say? That she had suddenly made it explode with this strange aura that had surrounded her for as long as she remembered? What could draw this woman’s attention away from the plant long enough to get back on track?

Apparently neither she nor her mother needed have bothered. Out of complete nowhere, this strange woman reached into an inside pocket of her cloak and pulled out what looked like a long, ornately decorated stick. Without so much as batting an eyelash, this woman waved the stick once and pointed it at the vase, muttering a single word as she did so.

_“Reparo!”_

Before Ally’s very own stunned eyes, the shambles of the vase that were once piled in a decrepit heap on the corner table lifted and flew back together. The water and dirt dripping onto the floor was pulled back in almost as if sucked up by a hose. And the flowers that drooped so gloomily in the heart of it all at being so accidentally mistreated were standing tall and proud and vibrant once again. The cherished vase that was her father’s last gift to her mother was now sitting on its perch again; as good as new, as if nothing had ever happened.

Ally stood rooted to her spot, shocked, completely unable to form a coherent sentence or even speak at all. Her brain was still trying to process what her eyes had just seen: Her mother’s special vase had just leapt back together, like a VCR tape being rewound to the beginning after she had finished watching it.

She should have felt relieved; the vase was no longer broken and her mother could keep it for much longer now. And she would no longer have to feel guilty about breaking it. But she didn’t feel relieved at all. Because her mind was screaming at her that what she just witnessed couldn’t be possible.

Even more astonishing was that this woman had actually done this, and all without breaking a sweat! Almost like…magic! She didn’t even act remotely stunned about it at all; in fact, she acted like it was the most normal thing in the world! And even Miss Soto was standing next to her unfazed, still sporting that tiny, knowing smile she had come in with. Why wasn’t she freaking out about this? Did she know something about this strange phenomenon?

And yet, with all her composure in shambles around her, Ally felt a small sliver of…comfort. Of familiarity, even. Like she had been wrapped in a thick, warm blanket. She didn’t know this woman from Adam, or why she could possibly feel this way with a complete stranger. But all the same, it certainly helped her feel less scared than she realistically should have been. And she didn’t yet know if that was good or bad.

The woman slid the stick back into her cloak pocket and turned to face them with a pleased smile. “There, that takes care of that!” she beamed heartily.

A million questions were racing around Ally’s head so fast that she didn’t know which one to ask first. She looked this woman up and down with a mixture of uncomfortableness and newfound awe, her curiosity quickly overwhelming her. At that moment, one question managed to wrangle its way to the forefront of her mind: Just who _was_ this woman?

Miss Soto seemed to have deemed it appropriate to speak, now that the hubbub had calmed down. She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a small yellowed envelope and gingerly handed it to Ally. “Here, Ally, this is for you.” She smiled.

With slightly trembling hands, Ally took the envelope, turning it over and over and examining it from all angles. She had never seen a letter like this before. The envelope looked to have been made entirely from old parchment paper, and yet was without a single crinkle or crease. The texture was interesting, too, almost like she was holding some secret pirate documents or something like she read in adventure books. The back of the emblem was sealed tight with a crest stamped in crimson wax, something she had also merely read about and had never seen. It gave her a little thrill that she was seeing something like this for the first time. It was fascinating. The waxy crest itself was very intricate looking, and sported a badger, a snake, an eagle, and a lion all in protective stances around a big letter H.

Curious. And cool.

Ally turned the envelope over to see the front, and her eyes widened when she saw what was written there in emerald green ink and thin, neat cursive.

_Miss A Riverwood_

_Second Floor Bedroom on the Left_

_40 Withers Close_

_Helmfirth_

_Kent_

This was her address. So Miss Soto really wasn’t kidding, then. This envelope really was for her. It even had her bedroom written on it!

            The sound of someone clearing their throat broke her out of her daze. She turned to see her mother, looking ashen face but curious like she was. Her dark eyes were fixed apprehensively on the envelope cradled in her daughter’s fingertips, but flicked up enough to meet Ally’s eyes and give a small, if shaky, smile of encouragement.

            “Aren’t you going to open it, dearheart?” she asked.

            Ally nodded without thinking, turning her attention back to the piece of mail. Carefully, so as not to damage the envelope, she pried the wax seal off the parchment and tentatively opened the flap. She reached in and pulled out what looked like yet another piece of parchment paper. This one was folded, enough that it could fit inside the small envelope. It appeared to be a letter of some kind; her curiosity was peaked. She pulled it out and unfolded it, not realizing that she was holding her breath.

            And she stopped.

            Written there on the page, in the same script as the address, was a simple letter.

 It read:

 

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Riverwood,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_


	3. I Do Believe in Magic!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ally has received an acceptance letter from a place called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had thought that magic wasn't real. Is she really a witch?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehh, I'm not too pleased with how this eventually turned out, but I was taking forever so I thought I'd publish it now. If you think it needs improvement, lemme know and I'll go back and edit what I need to. 
> 
> But now it's off to the beginning of the fun stuff! 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

> _"We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing."_   **_-Louisa May Alcott_**  
>   
> 

* * *

“Ally?” she barely heard her mother’s voice. She was so lost in her thoughts that reality seemed to have floated away from her. Or she had floated away from it. Honestly, she couldn’t tell anymore. She looked at the letter again. If she understood right, this piece of parchment was an acceptance letter. And not just any acceptance letter, but an acceptance letter to a school of _magic_. And it was addressed to _her_ , Allison Riverwood.

She looked up at Miss Soto and the other woman slowly. They were just watching her with patient expressions. She gaped like a land-locked fish at them.

"Ally?" Her mother prompted slowly. She seemed like she wasn’t too sure what to make of the suddenly uncomfortable atmosphere, or she noticed how her daughter was reacting to the paper clutched in her trembling little hands. "Can I read it?"

Wordlessly, Ally handed over the letter, still staring blankly at the other two women. It was silent for a few minutes as the letter was read again, and the atmosphere grew even more uneasy after she had finished.

The clicking on the floor alerted them that Calypso was emerging from her spot and wanted to greet the new guests. The dog sidled up to Miss Soto, who began petting her with ease and gently massaging her soft fluffy ears.

For a while, no one said anything. It seemed as though each lady was waiting for one of them to break the awkward silence, and were determined to not be the first. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the mysterious woman relented and began to speak.

“I trust you have questions, yes?” she looked between mother and daughter for her answer. Ally didn’t see what her mother’s response was, but she herself nodded.

“Is it true?” Ally spoke shakily, trying not to let her hope show. “Does m-magic really exist?”

“Ally-“ her mother’s cautious tone tried to halt the question, like a mother lion shielding her cub, but the woman beat her to the punch.

“I know it may seem hard to believe, Miss Riverwood.” The woman admitted. She folded her hands together on the table. “But yes, it’s true.”

Ally knew better than to take this strange woman’s word for it, even if her words up until now made a strange sort of sense. She had to stay with reality; She was going to be eleven in four months. That was almost completely grown up! She couldn’t entertain those thoughts anymore. She wasn’t five.

So she had to ask. “Why haven’t we heard about it until now, then?”

Miss Soto chose then to chime in. “You see, Ally, it’s like this: Magic is one of the world’s best kept secrets. It has to be. That’s just the way things are.”

“Why?”

“Privacy, mostly.” She answered. “If everyone knew that magic existed, Muggles would be wanting magical solutions to all their problems. We’d never be left alone.”

“Not to mention some Muggles would become envious that they couldn’t use magic, too.” The other woman’s smile fell a little bit as she thought about her answer.“Not only would we not have any privacy, but it would also be completely unsafe for magical folk everywhere. Especially in the face of those who would wish to do harm to us.”

When she heard that, Ally immediately imagined the stories she read in school about towns burning people at the stake because they feared witches had enslaved them. It was a scary thought, so she tried not to dwell on it for too long. But it didn’t stop her from shuddering as a chill steamrolled down her spine. She visibly twitched.

Miss Soto continued, noticing the girl’s reaction. “That is why we have the International Statue of Secrecy in place. It’s a way that we can avoid more unnecessary death and a way for the Muggles to live their everyday lives as they see it. Ignorance is bliss, right?”

It made sense to Ally now that her teacher had explained it. She knew there were jealous people in the world. It was a part of human nature. And sometimes people acted on their jealousy and did bad things to make themselves feel like they were right to be jealous.

But just _what_ on earth was a _Muggle?_ She asked about this, and the other woman told her that it was what witches and wizards called non-magical folk.

“Now you, dear girl, are a special exception.” She continued, smile lighting up her aged face once again. “You were born into a Muggle family, but you yourself possess magic.”

“It’s true, Ally.” Miss Soto nodded slowly. “You are a witch.”

“M-Me? A witch??” Ally squeaked.

“Think about it.” The young teacher supplied gently, leveling a calm gaze at her. “Remember all the things that happened at Green Meadows?”

She made a face. Boy, she wished she couldn’t. But she did anyway. She nodded slowly.

“Remember how they just happened whenever your emotions were very strong? How you couldn’t explain _why_ they happened? All of that was your magic surfacing.”

Now that she took time to actually think back on those events, she realized Miss Soto was right. She had even thought so earlier herself! Why hadn’t she connected the dots? The windows and drinking fountain went crazy because she was angry and humiliated. The vase was because she was upset and trying to bottle it all up. And the flowers were because she felt curious. It all was starting to make sense. With this revelation, it felt as though Ally had sunken into a warm bubble bath. It was like she was floating on air. There was no previous fear or nervousness. The complete opposite, in fact.

There were so many things she wanted to ask; so many things she wanted to say. She couldn’t think of where to start!

Instead, all that managed to come out of her stunned mouth was “I didn’t know magic was supposed to be so destructive.” Miss Soto laughed.

“Not usually.” She admitted fondly.“It got out of hand like that only because you’re young. You have no knowledge of how to control it.”

“Which is why we are here.” the other woman announced happily. It seems they had come to the point they were most wanting to make. She pointed to the letter now sitting on the table in front of her mother. “Hogwarts is a fantastic school that will teach you how to control your magic and utilize all its potentials. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to make friends with other magical children, and the seven years you spend there will allow you to really discover yourself.”

It all sounded so wonderful, and almost good to be true. Her curiosity was bubbling up more than she had ever felt it before, and she was eager to sate it. She wanted to learn more about this whole magic thing. She wanted to go to Hogwarts!

“Of course, it’s up to the parents as well.” Miss Soto added, looking directly at Mrs. Riverwood.

Ally did too, and she was so overcome by this rabid curiosity that she couldn’t help but clasp her hands together and plead. “Oh, please Mom, can I go?”

Diana Murray had stayed silent this entire time, simply looking between the two women in front of her, to her daughter, to the letter on the table, and back to her daughter. No one was quite sure what was going on in her head. Her expression was unreadable. The tension was high as they waited for her to approve, to veto, to say something of any kind.

Finally, her mother murmured. “Will she be safe?”

“Absolutely!” the other woman nodded. “Hogwarts is one of the safest places in the world.”

It was silent again. She looked to be weighing all her options. She appeared torn between protecting her baby girl like a mother lion, and letting Ally have the chance to spread her young wings and show the world what she’s really made of. Ally squeezed her clasped hands together, mentally begging that her mother would say yes.

_Please oh please oh please-_

Mrs. Riverwood broke the silence once more. Her face was sternly set, and her lips were drawn in a thin line. Ally felt her heart begin to sink.

That was the face her mother would make when she was about to say ‘no’.

“As much as I am hesitant to believe this is all true, I would like for Ally to go.”

Oh, well. She quashed down the deep disappointment that welled up within her. Ally knew her mother must have had her reasons-

Wait.

Wait, _what??_

Ally blinked in surprise, backtracking to think on what her mother had just said.

She was…giving her permission?

Apparently, that was good enough for the other woman, who grinned widely and exclaimed. “Wonderful! I’ll send a letter to Minerva at once!”

Miss Soto looked relieved as well, and she laughed at her companion’s enthusiasm. “Professor, you’re getting a bit excited-“

“Mom?”

Ignoring the mini celebration from the two other women, Ally looked at her mother. She was sure her confusion was written all over her face. Mrs. Riverwood sighed and reached forwards to grasp her daughter’s hand once more.

“Listen to me, Ally.” She said softly. “Part of me feels like this is a bit too far-fetched to believe. You’re all that I love in this world, and I don’t feel comfortable at all sending you to some strange place where I can’t be with you”

Ally nodded her head. She kind of understood what her mother was saying. It was like one of those situations where the ‘Don’t talk to or accept candy from strangers’ rule applied. But then if she was so against it, why did she say yes?

She asked as much. Her mother’s tight-lipped frown softened into an affectionate, if uneasy, smile. “Because part of me wants you to be happy, and I feel this is the best way for that to happen. I want you to make friends that you can relate to. I want you to be able to go to school without being bullied.”

Ally felt as though she were about to cry again, this time out of happiness. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Her luck was taking a turn for the better!

“Well, that’s step one completed.” The other woman sighed happily, as she handed what looked like a folded parchment letter to-

Ally gaped in shock. She hadn’t realized that the woman had opened the kitchen window to the night air, cooled down from the rain. Sitting on the windowsill, and looking for all the world like a disgruntled dripping rat, was a large owl. It swiveled its head to stare at her with it’s piercing eyes, obviously noticing that it had drawn her attention. It was a very pretty looking owl, despite it’s drowned appearance. It’s belly feathers were white but dusted with brown spots; darker feathers rounded it’s light colored face; and it’s eyes felt as though it was staring right through to her soul.

The woman handed her letter to the owl, who took it into its beak and turned away. It spread it’s wings like a majestic, albeit small, angel, and then it was gone into the night.

“Owl Post.” the woman explained before Ally even had the chance to open her mouth. “It’s how we get our mail. Nothing more reliable in my opinion!”

Miss Soto chuckled “Unless it has a slight tendency to get lost like my Maxir.”

Ally blinked. Maxir? She had heard her teacher speak about a Maxir, like he were a beloved but goofy pet. But she always assumed Maxir was a cat of some description, as Miss Soto never really mentioned exactly what type of animal he was.

“So Maxir is…?”

“Yes, Ally. Maxir is a Mountain Scops Owl. I’ve had him since my time at Hogwarts.”

“You went to this Hogwarts, Aurelie?” Mrs. Riverwood asked her, eyes wide.

“Of course.” Miss Soto nodded. “How else would I know about the Wizarding World?” She reached into the purse she had set on the floor. She pulled out a wand that was kind of similar to her companion’s and yet so different in so many ways. “I graduated about...eleven years ago now. It was a _magical_ time in my life, if you’ll pardon the joke.”

Ally found it in herself to giggle a little.

“What subjects do they teach there?” Mrs. Riverwood inquired, starting to look more curious.

“Oh, all the basics a witch or wizard needs and more!” the other woman’s face looked as though it would split in two at any time with how wide she was smiling. “Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, History of Magic; the list goes on!”

Ally was getting more intrigued by the minute. These all sounded like very interesting subjects to her, and part of her couldn’t wait to start learning them! She was starting to get excited.

Miss Soto continued on, this time gesturing to her companion. “As I said before, Professor Sprout here was one of my teachers when I attended. And she still continues to be one of the best Professors that Hogwarts has ever seen.”

Ally looked at the other woman, now known to be called Professor Sprout. She faltered a little, wanting to call the woman Mrs. Sprout because it felt slightly weird calling someone she just met ‘Professor’. But she didn’t know if the Professor was married; she didn’t see a ring on her left hand. She figured the best way was to suck it up and call her ‘Professor’ anyway. She’d have to get used to it at some point if she really was going to this school, after all.

“What subject do you teach, Professor?” she asked.

“Herbology.” was the answer, a gleam of pride in her eyes. “It’s a delicate subject that ties closely in with Potions. Not only do you need to learn about the different recipes for potions, but you also need to learn about all the different magical plants and ingredients, their properties, and how to care for them.”

Well, that explained the dirty coveralls.

Ally smiled a little at the woman’s enthusiasm. It seemed to her, both by the state of her clothing and from the way she smiled when she talked about it, that Professor Sprout was very passionate about her subject. She liked teachers like that.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Miss Soto suddenly exclaimed, startling Ally out of trying to imagine what some magical plants might look like. She reached into her purse again and pulled out her little pocket calendar, throwing a look at Mrs. Riverwood. “We need to set up a day for Ally to get her school supplies. What day would be most convenient for you, Diana?”

Mrs. Riverwood, even as she still looked a bit apprehensive about all of this, paused as she thought. She couldn’t afford to take too many days off, as she still needed enough to put food on the table and keep the electricity and heat running in the house. But she knew that once in a great while wouldn’t hurt. She asked Ally to get her own pocket calendar from her purse.

After peering at her scheduling and chewing at her lip, they had agreed that next Wednesday would be a perfect school shopping day. Miss Soto would meet them in London in the morning, and they would have brunch a little before. Ally had no idea there were places in London that could sell magical books and wands. Maybe she hadn’t looked hard enough the last time she was there.

And then, the two women stood up and prepared themselves to leave. Professor Sprout shook her mother’s hand carefully, so as not to upset her balance, and then offered it to Ally.

“It was wonderful to meet you, Miss Riverwood.” she beamed warmly at the girl. “I'll be seeing you at the start of term!”

Ally found herself smiling too as she shyly took the older woman’s hand. “Nice to meet you too, Professor.” she murmured.

Miss Soto bid the two of them farewell and the promise to see them again next week. And as she watched the two of them retreat down the pathway, for the first time in what felt like forever, Ally felt a sun ray of hope peaking through her cloud of despair.


End file.
